Pocket
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: 'Why do you keep your hands in your pockets all the time? It's just sad; no-one can hold them then.'


Author's Notes

This is set sort of tangential to "Tomoki's Lonely Battle – Asuramon's Trap" (Eng. Dub: The Dark Heart of Friendship). Assume that they all got out of Sakkakumon in one piece. Assume that Duskmon momentarily vanished. Assume that Takuya and Kouji for one (or two) meet up, alone and separate from the others, stuck to their own devices and each other for some sort of occupation. And assume that everything is safe and sound for the time being, so no worries about random attacks. Or you could just forget the technicalities and just enjoy the fic. That works too.

On a side note, note that Kouji really integrates himself as a full member of the team after the whole fiasco with Duskmon; he is still a little separated from the others up till that point. The battle with Karatenmon validates that point with me, though him running off after Duskmon and ditching the others is debatable.

Anyway, enjoy, and tell me what you think. But please don't ask where this came from; I have no idea.

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><p><span>Pocket<span>

'Why do you keep your hands in your pockets all the time? It's just sad; no-one can hold them then.'

Kouji M & Takuya K

Rating: T

Genre/s: Friendship

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><p>'Why do you keep your hands in your pockets all the time?'<p>

Kouji stopped suddenly at the sudden and rather random question, turning to give the brunette an odd look.

'What?'

Takuya grinned at him, in that infuriating way that tended to lead a conversation haywire. 'Why do you keep your hands in your pockets all the time?'

He gestured with one (un-gloved) hand to the others', both snugly fit into the pockets of his dark grey pants.

The other thought a moment, before making a shrugging motion with his shoulders. 'Habit I suppose,' he grunted, moving to walk again, only to be halted by the other's next comment.

'It's just sad.'

'Excuse me?'

'It's just sad,' the brunette repeated, closing the distance between them and seizing one wrist, gently coaxing the appendage out into the free air. 'No-one can hold them then.'

Almost reflexively, Kouji made to yank his hand free, but the other had a firm grip. 'See,' he said, holding their clasped hands to the sun. 'Yours is all pale and cold.'

'How can they be?' the raven muttered, walking again with the other matching his gait. 'They were in my pockets.'

'And pockets are not quite as warm as friends, are they?'

And Takuya grinned again. Only this time, it was comforting in a way...though it bordered on cheesy.

'You're ridiculous,' Kouji sighed, but he left his hand in the other's grip.

'I try.'

They walked in silence for a moment after that, before Takuya spoke again.

'Hasn't anyone ever held your hand before?'

He stopped again, halting the other consequently. 'What makes you ask that?'

'The fact that you almost jumped out of your skin.'

'If you ever mention that again-' Kouji began in an almost threatening voice, only to be waved off by the other.

'I'll take that as a no,' the brunette vocalised. 'You're not getting rid of me.'

And he dragged the raven, clasped hands and all, a few more paces before he began walking again of his own violation.

'Leech.'

'What was that?' But he sounded more amused than anything. 'I told ya: sad.'

Silence.

'You need friends you know.'

'I know,' the other snapped.

'Why?' His voice was melding into a sing-song tone. 'Some birdy tell ya?'

Silence again, which caused him to stop in his tracks.

'One did?' And he almost snorted in laughter, before registering the look on the other's face. 'Whatever anyone said,' he said firmly, seriously. 'You need friends. Believe me.'

He held up the clasped hands again. 'Wouldn't you rather them warm?'

Kouji looked at the pair, contrasting pale and a sun-caked brown. 'Yeah,' he said softly, realising they were far warmer than when he jammed them into his pockets to protect from the air. 'Yeah, I would.'

'There's nothing wrong with letting some hold your hand, you know. And there's nothing wrong with letting people in.'

_People leave. It's a fact of life._ But he didn't say that out loud. He already knew how well that had gone. And now, he was starting to doubt that, after seeing its vision shatter so easily.

Somehow, the other had guessed what he had been thinking. 'Sure, people leave. But they're never really gone. And there's always someone else out there too. Isn't it nicer to be warm than cold?'

He didn't answer. But he didn't need to. The other hand had, some time during the exchange, slipped out of the pocket of its own accord.

And they walked together a little longer, hands still intertwined.

'Ooh, how cute.'

He blushed suddenly at the comment, and yanked his hand out of Takuya's hold. For a moment, he met the laughing brown eyes with a deeper wisdom then most saw, and then he was left looking at his bare hands, the cold of the morning wind brushing against them, before they slipped back into the empty pockets of their own accord.

They didn't feel nearly as warm now. Nor did he ever remember them feeling as warm as they had in that period.

After all, he hadn't let anyone hold his hands for awhile. Not for a long time.

And now, he realised he really hadn't minded all that much.


End file.
